Carey taps former Fox chief Hill for F1 media role

Formula 1 is stepping up its efforts to
improve its television product with the hiring of experienced media executive
David Hill as an advisor to the motor racing series.

Australian Hill (pictured), a former senior executive at international media giant 21st Century Fox, will be tasked with improving and innovating Formula 1’s broadcasts.

Hill is familiar to Formula 1 chairman chief executive Chase Carey, who worked with him as chief chief executive and chairman of Fox Television between 1994 and 2000.

Hill, who previously served as chairman and chief executive of Fox Sports Media Group, has had a long career in television, working on the launch of Sky Television in the UK and Eurosport, and creating Sky Sports, Sky’s specialist sports brand.

In 2015, Hill left 21st Century
Fox to create his own production company called Hilly.

Carey said: “David Hill, who really built Fox Sports, is an adviser to help, as we go into the next year, launch some innovations and enhancements to the programming package to really bring something fresh to the marketplace.

“We do a professional job today but I think
too much of what we do is probably not that different than it was ten years
ago, whether that’s graphics, sound or camera angles. We need to make sure we
continue to make sure our product has an innovation and an energy that excites
and engages fans.”

Since February, Hill had been working in a similar advisory role for ESL, the eSports company owned by Sweden-based media company Modern Times Group, however he left the company in September.

Hill was working with ESL on special projects with select game publishers and sponsors to develop premium eSports events through Hilly. His duties also included training ESL production
teams on TV best practices.

A remodelled television offering and the launch of an over-the-top streaming platform are among the main goals for new Formula 1 owners Liberty Media since their $4.4 billion-takeover of the series in January.